The present invention relates to improvements in pillow blocks of the type used for supporting a shaft bearing or the like, and particularly to a pillow block in which a ball bearing can be mounted so that its outer race is retained against axial and radial displacement.
It is conventional practice to provide a pillow block with a spherical socket or bearing seat in which the outer race of a ball bearing can be inserted and retained. One of the common practices utilized for inserting the bearing into the socket or seat is to provide diametrically opposite notches in one end of the seat through which the bearing can be introduced when its axis is held at right angles to the axis of the seat, and when fully inserted the bearing can be turned with its axis coincident with that of the seat.
Pillow blocks of the foregoing character are generally manufactured of metal and are relatively costly, because of the manufacturing procedures that are followed for producing and finishing the socket or seat for the bearing. Efforts have been made to overcome some of the problems relating to pillow block manufacture and to cost reduction by producing bearing blocks from plastic materials, such as is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,964 wherein a flexible bearing seat is utilized. However, these efforts have failed to provide a desired pillow block which has relatively low material and manufacturing costs and which has low weight and desirable physical properties.